Sealing cap for automobile radiators



March 20, 1928.

- J. F.'WHITE SEALING CAP FOR AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS Filed May 31. 1924 Patented Mar. 20 1928. I

UNITED STATES 1,662,909 PATENT OFFICE.

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Application filed Kay 81,

This invention relates particularly to (:10-

I sures and mountings designed for use on automobile radiators, their function b8111 to mg form a tight closure for the radiator fil tube, an ornamental attachment for the vehicle and a theft preventing device for frustrating unauthorized removal of indicatin instruments or. ornaments sometimes carrie fication of the., .,the t preventing locklng means or fastening whereby the indicating device or ornament is retained.

One of the specific objects of the present improvement is the provision of a sealing means which is not subject, to deterioration to the extent or with the rapidity which characterizes forms now .in use, and one in which the degree of compression between the seal forming members may be varied-selectively, so that a properly tight seal may be maintained. at all times and the relatively movable parts of the device retained against rattling.

Another important feature of the present invention'is the simpificati'on of the construction, which results in substantial saving in the cost of production.

Other and further objects of the inven' tion will be pointed out hereinafter, indicated in the appended claims or obvious upon an understandmg of the present disclosure. In the drawing forming a part of this specification I have illustrated two fashions in which the invention may be embodied, the same being redicated on a structure dis closed and c aimed in my co-pending application SerialNo. 700,803,. fi ed March 21, 1924. It is to be understood, however, that the two particular forms herein disclosed are presented for the purpose of illustration only and hence are not to be regarded as exhaustive of the: scope of the invention. Nor is it to be understood that the present improvements are susceptible of use only w1th the particular form of radiator cap illustrated. In the drawlng, Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevatlon of an automobile radiator cap containing my invention same being shown mounted on an automobile radiator fillmg tube. and em- 1924. Serial No. 718,881.

ployed as a securing means for an indicating nstrument known in the trade as a mo- I tometer 'Fig. -2 is a com osite illustration of variousportions of t e structure, same being.

be'understoodthat the numeral 10 designates a portion of the filling tube or nipple of an automobile radiator, which is internally screw-threaded for connection of a closure cap in the customary fashion. The closure attachment includes'a tubular bushing 11 which is threaded for screw engagement with the nlpplc 10 and aiiords a portion standmg above the upper margin of the nip le.

Upon this bushing is rotatably retaine .a

connecting ring or collar 12 and tothis is hinged a closure cap 14 adapted, when in closed position upon the bushing 11, to house and form a closure for the up er end thereof. Means are provided for hol ing the cap 14 closed upon the bushing 11, same being in the nature of a lug 15 projecting at the in-' terior of the cap and adapted. to engage in a bayonet slot 16 in the peripheralportion of the bushing, retentive enga ement of the lug 15 therein being accomp ished by rotation of the cap upon the bushing. The cap is provided with laterally extending arms 14 which constitute decorative features as well as operating handles whereby the cap may be rotated for connection of the device to the .hi ple in the first'instance, as well as for loc I ing and unlocking and swinging of the cap to and from the closed position. The cap is provided with the axial aperture 14" accommodatin the stem or post 13 of the indicating dance 17, or other ornamental attachment.

v The structure thus far described is'the improved form of device forming the' sub'eotmatter of my co-pending application a V0 referred to, and which is described more in detail in said application. It will be undermeans from the slot 16 and thereafter permit the free rotation of the cap and ring 12 uponthe bushing.

While it is of advantage that the radiator cap permit the quick opening of the nipple, for the purpose of inspection or filling of the radiator, it is quite important'that it form av tight closure so as to prevent steam leakage and, from both aesthetic and practical standpoints, that it stay in proper posi-' tion to present the arms and the attached ornament or indicating instrument in the proper directions. It has been quite common to use elastic sealing gaskets of rubber or the like in devices of this kind, with the gasket retained on the collar or. bushing through which the radiator is filled. EXperienoe hasproved, however, that such expedients have certain serious drawbacks, due to the rapidity with which the relatively narrow gaskets of rubber and like elastic materials disintegrate under the heat, moisture andvibration to which they are subjected in such assembly, and particularly when subjected to the liquids used as antifreezing mixtures, or the vapors produced from them in the radiator. It the present improvement the cap is provided with a recess 14 which receives the securing nut 18 for the motometer. For the sealing disk 20 I prefer to use a suitable resilient non-corrosive metal, such as bronze, of slightly dished form and of such size as to fit within the cap and bear against the corner about the recess 14' when the stem of the motometer is threaded through its axial aperture 20. The peripheral portion of the disk 20 is of such shape and size as to bear upon the upper edge of the bushing 11 when the cap is in closed position, the contact of said parts forming a tight closure under the resilient pressure of thesealing'disk. The disk is eld in place by an adjustable locking device in the nature of a divided nut, or interlocking threaded washer and nut. The

ortion which I'will term the washer is-deslgnated by the numeral 21 and the portion which I will designate the nut by the numeral 22. These are both internally screwthreaded to mesh with the thread on the post or stem of the su ported instrument. The washer is prefer-ab y of circular contour, and slightly domed at its upper side so as to take the curving contour of the sealing disk and resent a very narrow peripheral margin. e lower side of the washer and the upper side of the nut are progressively spiraled so as to form interlocking portions 24 and 24, which interengage when the two are screwed on to the postso thatthe necessary rotary movement may be transmitted to the washer from the nut, the form of the latter being such that it may be operated by a wrench. In this fashion the washer is forced up tight against the sealing disk 20, clamping the latter against the peripheral corner of the recess 14 so as to tension the marginal portion of the disk toward the bushing. In addition to this tensioning function, the locking device affords a theft preventing connection, as when the nut is backed oil the washer remains in place, and can be removed only with considerable difficulty and by the use of tools. Loosening of the washer by rotation of the retained display device is prevented by the nut 18, which is'drawn up very tightly in the first instance. In the event the disk20 loses some of its resiliency or becomes worn, incident to long use, so that the tightness of the seal-is impaired. the condition may be completely remedied simply by tightening upthe nut 22 and washer 21 so as to induce new tension in the disk, restoring the desired closeness of engagement between it and the bushing.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 3, the sealing disk is designated by thecharacter 20. Instead of being dished, it is formed with a concentric circular upwardly embossed rib 20"which bears upon the under surface of the closure cap about the recess 14 and forming a fulcrum point where the pressure induced in the interior of the disk is transmitted to the marginal sealing portion. A. further modification is contained in this figure, which provides for the relieving as well as the increasing ofthe tension in the sealing disk. In this modification the diameter of the locking washer 21' is very nearly that of the recess 14 the nut 22' however being sufliciently smaller than the recess to give the necessary clearance for engagement of the nut by a wrench. Before the sealing disk is inserted, the locking washer. and nut'are turned up on the threaded stem of the display device, until the washer is jammed against the nut 18, where it acts as a locking jam nut. The nut 22 is then backed ofi, leaving the washer 21' in the recess 14, which it so nearly fits that it cannot be engaged so as to be readily backed off. The sealing disk then being put in place, the nut 22' is reversed and screwed on to the stem below I ing up or backing oil of the nut, so that the desired de ee of compression between the disk and t e bushing may be;attained. It may be desirable to thicken or to curve neeaaoe adjustable bearing and avoid scratching of the contacting surfaces. It will be appreciated that in addition to affording the de-.

sired tight seal, this construction provides a. means. efiective to maintain the cap in the desired rotary position on the nipple. Instead of being deteriorated by normal use, the closeness of the seal actually increases as the contacting parts wear upon one another, the desired compressionbeing retained at all times by virtue. of the adg'iusltfiability of the tension in, the sealing A further advantage of the prei ent' improvement resides in its automatic opening of the cap. When the lu 15 is rotated to a position under one of the upward openings of the bayonet slot, the, spring efl'ect exerted by the sealing disk 21 is effective to initiate upward swinging movement of the cap. Hence it is not necessary for the operator 'to hunt or feel about for the bayonet slot opening. Thiscontributes also to slot.

a simplification of the bayonet Whereas in the form illustrated in my aforementioned application, the slot is interrupted or terminated b an abutment, it will be observed that in the form of bushing here illustrated the bayonet slot is continuous about the bushing. This construction is of advantage in the manufacture of the bushing, as the continuous slot may be cut with much greater facility than the interrupted slot. In this form, for the pur pose of screwin the bushing on to the filling tube, the abutment is provided at the left hand side of the bayonet slot opening, after the fashion of the abutment designated by the reference character 25. At the right hand side of the slot opening there is formed the incline 26. The locking lug 15 on the cap has the end which is presented toward the abutment 25 formed square, so that it will seat against that abutment when the ca and t us permit the bushings being screwed down on the filling tube by rotation of the cap. Such co-operation is not afiorded when the-cap is rotated in. the opposite direction, however, as the other end ofithe lug 15' is formed on an incline and does not afiord the necessary the incline 26 to permit the ushing being backed off. I

I claim:

- 1. An automobile radiator closure com prisingthe combination of a bushin for connection to the filling tube,a hinge cover for closing the end of the bushing, a resilient sealing device carried by the cover for co-operation with the bushing, and means for varying tension in the sealing device.

is in a partially closed position,

urchase upon 2. An automobile closure comprising the combination of a bushin for attachment to the filling tube, a hinge cover for closing the end of the bushing, a resilient-sealing member carried b the cover-and having a bearingportion or enga ement with thev bushing, and means for a justing the bearing portion with respect to the cover.

' 3. An automobile ,radiator closure comprising the combination of a bushin for attachment to the fillingmtube, a hinge cover connected to the bus ing for closing the same, a display device carried by the cover and having a post extending within the cover, a resilient sealing device carriedby the cover to be stressedthereby against the bushing, and' means 'co-operating with said post for adjusting the sealing device.

4. An automobile radiator closure comprising the combination of a bushing for attachment to' the filling tube, a cover having hinged connection with the bushing, a resilient sealing device iulcrumed' on the cover for co-operation with the bushing, and means adjustable on the cover for stressing the sealing device on its fulcrum. 5. An automobile radiator closure comprising the combination of a bushing for attachment to the filling tube, a cover connected to the bushing for rotary and oscillatory movement'thereon, a resilient sealing device carried by the cover for co-operation with the bushing, and means on the cover. for varying tension in the sealing device.

6. An automobile radiator attachment comprising the combination of a bushin for attachment to the filling tube, a cover aving hinged connection with the bushing, a display device having a threaded post ex tending within the cover, a threaded washer and nut adjustable on the post, and connectin th% washer is rotated when the nut is turned up on the post but freed when the nut is backed ofi.

7 An attachment for automobile radiators comprising the combination ofa cap, means for securin the same in hinged relationshi on the fil in tube, a resilient sealing dis carried by t e cap, and means adjustable on thecap for flexing the disk to vary its sealing ca abilities.

8. 'An automobi e radiator closure commeans on the washer and nut whereby 10. An automo ile radiator attachment comprising the combination of a cap for hinged connection with the filling tube, a

display device ,having a post extending through the cap, a washer having screw engagement with-the post within the cap and a nut having operative engagement with the washer for rotation in one direction only.

' 11. An automobile radiator attachment comprising the combination of a capfor attachment to the filling tube, said cap having an internal recess, a display device having a post projecting :into said recess, a resilient sealing disk covering the recess within the cap, and adjustable means cooperative with the post for flexing the central portion of the disk toward the top of the recess.

12. An automobile radiator attachment com rising a cap for hinged connection to the lling tube, a sealing disk within the cap and having its marginal portion spaced away from the cap, and adjustable means on the ca for varying the spacingof said portion re ative to the cap. i

13. Ina device of the class described, a tubular member, a cap connected thereto for swinging and rotary movement, said tubular member having a circumferentially extend-' ing bayonet slot with an entrance toward the cap, the cap having a lug for engagement in the bayonet slot to secure the cap in closed position, said lug and tubular member being arranged for abutting en agement at one side of said entrance and or sliding co-operation at the other side thereof to induce opening movement of the cap.

14. An attachment for automobile radiators comprising the combination of a bushing for attachment to the filling tube, a cover connected with the bushing for hinged and with the sealing member engaging 1 rotary movement relative thereto, an elastic metallic sealing disc within the cover with its marginal portion arranged to be stressed in sealing cooperation with the bushing by the disks own resiliency, and locking members engageableand disengageable by r0323 sealing cooperation with the bushing, andinterlocking portions on the cap and bushv ing engageable on rotary movement of the cap for retaining them in closed relationship the bushing under pressureof its own resi ency.

16. A device of the sort described, com

prising a bushing for connection to the radiator nipple, a swinging cap for covering the end of the bushing, a hinge member connectunlimited=revolution on the latter in either circumferential direction, cooperatin members on the cap'and bushing for holding the former in closed position, said members being disengageable by. rotation of the cap in either direction. 17. A device of the sort described, comprising a bushing for connection to the radiator nipple, a hinged cap for closing the end of the bushing, ahinge member arranged for unlimited revolution on the bushing in either circumferential direction and connecting the cap thereto, cooperating members on the cap and bushing engageable in one position to hold the bushing for clockwise rotation with the cap, said members engageable in another ing the cap and bushing and arranged for 1 position to hold the cap closed on the bush- In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed by name.

, v JOHN F. WHITE. 

